“He went to take a drink out of his water bottle and one of the top parts of his cap got lodged in his throat and he started choking and he started signaling for help,” Safran told InsideEdition.com. “I knew he was serious because he had a red face and tears.”

Safran said he told the teacher and she went to go get help. In that moment, he contemplated whether he should help or wait for the teacher.

“I trusted my gut,” said Safran.

He performed the Heimlich maneuver on his friend and the bottle cap piece shot out of Grenci’s mouth, he said.

“I have choked in the past before and my mom had to do to the Heimlich on me so I just tried to remember what she did,” said Safran.